Apple M5 Max (18-core) vs Intel Core i5-13420H
92Single-core56
96.6Multi-core38.3
93.3Efficiencyspec-based40.5
—iGPU42.1
61.9Platformspec-based50.3
11 spec wins — Apple M5 Max (18-core)0 spec wins — Intel Core i5-13420H
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M5 Max (18-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 89 to 45.2, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+58) and single-core (+36). Intel Core i5-13420H still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Apple M5 Max (18-core)
- Stronger single-core score: 92 vs 56
- Stronger multi-core score: 97 vs 38
- 259% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 29,256 vs 8,158
- 244% higher PassMark: 57,677 vs 16,769
- 200% higher Efficiency cores: 12 vs 4
Reasons to pick the Intel Core i5-13420H
No decisive spec advantages — this side competes on price and preference.
General
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i5-13420H |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2026 | 2023 |
| Process | 3 nm+70% | 10 nm |
| Base TDP | — | 45 W |
| Max TDP | — | 115 W |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i5-13420H |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 18+125% | 8 |
| Performance cores | 6+50% | 4 |
| Efficiency cores | 12+200% | 4 |
| Threads | 18+50% | 12 |
| Base clock | — | 2.1 GHz |
| Boost clock | 4.6 GHz | 4.6 GHz |
| L3 cache | 24 MB+100% | 12 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i5-13420H |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 40-core GPU | Intel UHD Graphics (48 EU) |
| iGPU clock | — | 1,400 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i5-13420H |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5X-9600 | DDR5-5200 / LPDDR5X-5200 / DDR4-3200 / LPDDR4X-4267 |
| Max memory | 128 GB+33% | 96 GB |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Intel Core i5-13420H |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 4,322+90%Top 3% | 2,273Bottom 35% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 29,256+259%Top 2% | 8,158Bottom 26% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | — | 1,681Bottom 50% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | — | 10,679Bottom 44% |
| PassMark | 57,677+244%Top 2% | 16,769Bottom 38% |
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU) | — | 812Bottom 32% |
Related comparisons
Apple M5 Max (18-core)vs Apple M5 Pro (18-core)VSApple M5 Max (18-core)vs Apple M4 Max (16-core)VSApple M5 Max (18-core)vs Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite ExtremeVSApple M5 Max (18-core)vs Apple M6 (12-core)VSIntel Core i5-13420Hvs AMD Ryzen 7 5700UVSIntel Core i5-13420Hvs Intel Core i3-1215UVSIntel Core i5-13420Hvs Intel Core i7-1185G7VSIntel Core i5-13420Hvs Intel Core i7-11800HVS